28/03/2024 9:29 AM

Archiebronsonoutfit

Fashion The Revolution

Victoria’s Secret vows to revive, revamp infamous fashion show

Victoria’s Secret is getting back into the fashion show business after backlash over its one-size-fits-all definition of sexy killed off the annual extravaganza two years ago.

“Our intention is to get back into the fashion show business in a culturally relevant way,” chief executive Martin Waters told investors in a conference call on Monday. “You should anticipate that the fashion show will be part of our business. We will redefine it,” Waters said.

Victoria’s Secret canceled the popular catwalk event featuring its famous “Angels” donning massive wings with their skimpy lingerie in 2019, after 24 years. The event was scrapped amid widespread outrage over the company’s refusal to include plus-sized or transgender models in the show.

Filipino model Kelsey Merritt, New Zealand model Maia Cotton, US model Willow Hand, US model Iesha Hodges, Dutch model Myrthe Bolt and Ivorian model Melie Tiacoh walk the runway at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 8, 2018 at Pier 94 in New York City. - Every year, the Victoria's Secret show brings its famous models together for what is consistently a glittery catwalk extravaganza. It's the most-watched fashion event of the year (800 million tune in annually) with around 12 million USD spent on putting the spectacle together according to Harper's Bazaar.
Victoria’s Secret plans to revive its infamous fashion show, but says it will modernize the extranvaganza.
(Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Waters did not offer a timeline for when the new fashion shows would begin, but the comments come as the CEO attempts to overhaul the company’s image ahead of a planned spin off of the lingerie seller from parent L Brands next month.

As part of the rebrand, Waters has scrapped the controversial Angels, among other changes, in an effort to convince customers that the company that once defined women based on their proportions plans to become “the world’s leading advocate for women.”

The company on Monday also showed off a new marketing video with the tagline, ”You are welcome here,” peppered with images of plus-sized women and women of color.

Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and models onstage during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Victoria’s Secret says it’s reviving its infamous fashion show, but vows to modernize it.
FilmMagic

Waters on Monday said the company will also offer maternity related products for the first time, as well as shaping products. In May, the company released its first ever Mother’s Day promotion centering on one of its former supermodel Angels, Grace Elisabeth, at nine months pregnant.

As The Post reported on Monday, Victoria’s Secret has also been redesigning its stores, removing dated imagery of the Angels in exchange for models of different shapes and sizes, as well more women of color.